Platemakers

Produce printing plates by exposing sensitized metal sheets to special light through a photographic negative. May operate machines that process plates automatically.

Job Task

• Places plate in vacuum frame to align positives or negatives with each other and places masking paper over uncovered areas.
• Punches holes in light-sensitive plate and inserts pins in holes to prepare plate for contact with positive or negative film.
• Repairs defective plates with missing dots, using photographic touch-up tool and ink.
• Installs and aligns plates in printing case.
• Examines plate, using light-box and microscope to detect flaws, verify conformity with master plate, and measure dot size and center.
• Mixes and applies chemical-based developing solution to plates and replenishes solution in processor to maintain it in working order.
• Transfers image from master plate to unexposed plate and immerses plate in developing solution to develop image on plate.
• Transfers images by hand and covers surface of plates with photosensitive chemical, using brush, and allows plate to dry.
• Lowers vacuum frame onto plate-film assembly to establish contact between positive-negative film and plate, and sets timer to expose plate.
• Removes plate-film assembly from vacuum frame and places exposed plate in automatic processor to develop image and dry plate.
• Mounts negative and plate in camera that exposes exposed plate to artificial light through photographic negative, thus transferring image.
• Examines unexposed photographic plate to detect flaws or foreign particles prior to printing pattern of aperture masks on sensitized steel.
• Performs tests to determine time required for exposure by exposing plates and compares exposure to scale which measures tone ranges.

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